Totalitarianism vs. Anarchy

You wake up tomorrow and find your nation completely changed. Either the government in your country has complete authority over every aspect of your, and other people's lives, or the government has disappeared, and every form of leadership and bureaucracy is no longer present.

You can choose which place you wake up to. Which one do you choose and why?

If the government had total control, I'd be afraid of being herded like cattle. I'd be afraid I could be killed or persecuted at anytime, I'd fear for my life. I'd hate the idea that we had one grand slave master running the country, making me feel insignificant. It makes me think of Disturbed's video for "Land of Confusion" a bit, we as people would have to rise up against it.

As for an anarchy . . . I don't know. I'm cynical, thus I have little faith in people in general. The country would eventually divide itself into factions and total gang war would ensue. Countless people would die and could end up in a totalitarian reign.

Wow, I'm not really sure. I think I'd rather have a totalitarian one. Why? Because we could fight back. In an anarchy, we'd have enemies everywhere.

Meh, anarchy is the primordial soup of government. Totalitarianist states are hard to fight back against because they control the press, the arms, and the foreign relations.

I'd go with anarchy like Mal. It might not be great, but I'd rather not have a huge establishment oppressing me. In anarchy everyone's roughly equal in strength, and plus I'd have a choice to band together with individuals and form an alliance, that could grow and turn into a government.

I'd go with totalitarian... who knows, maybe the dictator would do good things with all the power he (or she, hehe) would have. It could also be possible to slowly set up an underground resistance and eventually stage a coup.

An anarchy on the other hand is subject to human nature, and even optimistically there will always be people out there who will be bad. Anything could happen, any random person doesn't like me and they can shoot my head off, some random guy wants something I have and they can beat me and steal it. Not having any particular training or being hugely strong or anything, I'd be at a disadvantage.

I would probably pick anarchy since I think people are innately good. A lack of government means probably a more individualistic lifestyle could turn into a tribe/clan like environment similar to most early civilizations with no real government or authority. Totalitarianism means total control is given to one person with unquestionable authority.

Power corrupts so I think anarchy would be easier to work with just keep your friends close and know your enemies.

I would probably pick anarchy since I think people are innately good. A lack of government means probably a more individualistic lifestyle could turn into a tribe/clan like environment similar to most early civilizations with no real government or authority. Totalitarianism means total control is given to one person with unquestionable authority.

Power corrupts so I think anarchy would be easier to work with just keep your friends close and know your enemies.

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I understand what you are saying, and it could work that way, the problem is eventually someone wants to be in charge. However if it worked as you said it would be preferable to totalinarism

Who rules the Totalitarian government? What are their plans? What do they want?

I'd bet on Totalitarian, because more then likely it'll be deposed, eventually, and I think in the long run it will be better for my civilization then anarchy (the hell it would do to the American economy.

I think it's harder to depose a totalitarian government than to make a new one out of the ashes of an anarchy. The totalitarians would have an army, a police force, the media, and (if its in an 1984-esque world) mass surveillance and indoctrination into the minds of its citizens.

If an anarchy is bad enough, people would actually want a new government. In a totalitarian, people would be too scared.